The cost of living in Kuwait

Recently there were articles published about the high cost of food and supposedly the Ministry is supposed to cut the costs by 50% so we'll wait and see. But in the mean time I can't understand why some items are 3-4 different prices depending on the area and the store. I usually pay 880 fils for a 4-pack of milk at Al-Meerah in Fahaheel and at Fintas jamiya it's 1.100 KD?

It's funny that at Fintas jamiya there's a sticker for Al-Safi milk for 960 fils and yet the sticker price is 1.100? When I first moved here I was always shopping for my main items at Fintas jamiya but little by little the prices increased to the point that I went to Sultan center and got the same items for almost the same price. Does anyone do random visits to check the prices?

How is it that you get one price in Fintas and a different price in Yarmouk? Same item but such a difference in price? Some people are making money off of it. I think undercover random visits to check prices is needed. Over a period of time they can track the increase in prices and act accordingly. But it's like out of sight out of mind as long as someone is getting paid it goes unnoticed but for the people who don't make much and count every fil they notice it right away.

Everything has increased so much that some people are forced to make choices of staying here or going home. If people have a family they may end up sending them back home to save costs. I won't even mention the school prices here. It's not like kids are getting a Harvard education. I will be moving back to the U.S. as I can't afford the school fees anymore. 8000 KD a year has grown beyond my means and will relocate back home in early August (Inshallah).

When my mom and sister moved here 10 years ago they paid 80 KD for an apartment! Now you couldn't rent a closet for that much. As soon as the contractors starting coming to Kuwait the rent prices escalated. The price of renting a car sky rocketed. When I worked for the sponsor company of ITT I learned the prices they charged and I was shocked. The company would rent the cars from Autolease for one price and tax on 1-2 hundred KD more on each vehicle. An SUV would go for over 300 + KD per month. A furnished apartment would cost 300 KD for example and they would charge Americans 650 KD.

My advice for companies coming here is to make sure the Kuwaiti company isn't taking advantage of you. Remember you are paying the sponsor company and you are in full charge. I would advise the company to let the sponsor company handle residency issues and find housing and rental agencies yourself. I used to consult with companies and help them with these issues so I know first hand how sponsor companies rip off contracting companies and it's not like a company gets excellent customer service from their sponsor.

But that's a different subject. I could go on all day about sponsor-contractor do's and don'ts. I do hope they slash prices by 50% maybe all people could afford to have some meat with their potatoes :P